


deckerstar one shots

by dckerstar



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-10-14 08:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20597843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dckerstar/pseuds/dckerstar
Summary: collection of a few one shots that were floating around in my brain, enjoy them :)





	1. spider!

*Chloe screams from the kitchen, Lucifer sprints in immediately*

He stops suddenly when he spots her standing on the counter. She clutches a dish towel for dear life. "Darling, what's wrong?" Lucifer asks, suppressing a laugh.

"There's a spider on the floor," Chloe says quickly with actual fear in her voice. At this, Lucifer bursts out laughing. She swipes the towel at him, hard.

"Don't laugh!" she whines. "This is serious, Lucifer!"

"Detective," he starts, once he's caught his breathe. Chloe, still standing on the counter, crosses her arms and pouts. "You're a homicide cop. You see dead bodies and catch killers on a daily basis. Surely, you can't be scared of a little spider." He grins.

"You're--such--an--asshole," Chloe says, in between more towel swipes, each hitting his shoulder a bit harder than the one before. He laughs again. "Just kill it!"

Doing as requested, Lucifer squishes the bug under his shoes, then grabs a paper towel and and cleans up the mess. He drops the paper towel into the trash and looks back at Chloe. "Better?"

She nods. "Yes, much."

Lucifer smiles. "Come on now." He holds out his arm, reaching for Chloe. "Let's get you down from there, love."

She leans down and wraps her arms around his neck. He sets her down on the tiled floor where she dances around for a moment, presumably looking for another spider.

Lucifer laughs once more. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he plants a soft kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry. You're safe, Chloe."


	2. home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got this inspo from a tweet from @/deckerstarbabe on twitter, lil dt goes to her hihi (https://twitter.com/deckerstarbabe/status/1170818759893778432?s=20)
> 
> there was another tweet i got inspo from too but i cant find it oops

The warmth of his duvet comfort Chloe as she draps them over her legs, as she's done the same way for countless nights in a row. It's the only thing that's been keeping her sane. Trixie's been staying at Dan's during the night, every night since Lucifer left.

Chloe doesn't sleep. On rare occasions when she does, she dreams about any bad thing that could happen to Lucifer happening. Normally, she'll wake crying. Maze is always there when she does, always with a cup of hot tea. Other times she'll wake up numb, laying in Lucifer's bed, staring at nothing, not having the energy to go to work, let alone get up. That's the worst part of all of it. On those days, if they're not busy, Linda, Amenadiel, Maze, Ella, or Dan and Trixie will come to visit her. It does make the waiting slightly less painful.

Chloe has told the people who don't know of Lucifer's true identity that he's on a sabbatical for family issues in Europe. She's tried multiple times to convince herself that the story she's telling everyone is true. That one day, sometime soon, she'll wake up and Lucifer will come home and be sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her to wake up.

Tonight, Chloe does sleep. Thankfully, a night without dreams--nightmares rather. A clanging noise comes from the bar area of the penthouse. Sitting up slowly, Chloe rubs her eyes and swings her legs off the bed.

"Hello?" she calls groggily.

"Hey!" It's Maze.

"Hi."

Maze walks closer to her and places a hand on her shoulder. "How are you? Are you doing okay?"

Chloe sighs. "The same as I'm doing every other day you've asked me."

"Well, you're actually out of bed today. I'd say that counts for something." Her friend smiles reassuringly.

The edges of Chloe's lips lift a little. It's not unusual for Maze to cheer her up on a bad day and she doesn't take it for granted.

"Are you planning on doing anything...I don't know, productive, Decker?" Maze leans on the piano.

Chloe smooths down the shirt that she's wearing. It's one of Lucifer's. She raided his closet after a good cry one day and wasn't taken it off since.

"Before you say even a word, you have to change that shirt. Actually you know what, I'm taking you to work today," Maze states matter-of-factly.

Chloe's slightly uplifted mood plummets. "N-no, Maze. I-I can't, no. Please. I can't face anyone there. Not right now."

"Chloe, you have to." Maze takes Chloe's hands in hers. "You haven't been in almost two weeks. You'll be okay when you get there. But if you want to wear one of Lucifer's shirts, you cannot wear that one."

Chloe looks down. There are splotches of stains from God knows what. "But it smells like him."

"So does everything else in his closet," Maze says, pushing her into the bedroom. As much as Chloe resists, Maze is strong. Stronger than her. Finally, she drops into the bed while Maze rifles through the presses shirts on hangers.

Chloe daydreams until she's hit in the face with a clean white button down. "Put that on. I'll drive you home so you can get a pair of pants and a coffee. How's that sound?" Maze places her hands on her hips.

Unbuttoning the current shirt she's wearing, Chloe mumbles something that sounds like "good". She's halfway through the buttons when she realizes Maze is still watching her. "Turn around," she says.

Maze smirks but turns her back. Chloe changes into the new shirt quickly. "I'm done."

"Wonderful, let's go." Maze grabs her hand, tugging her towards the elevator.

Chloe doesn't resist as the elevator opens and Maze drags her through crowds of sweaty, drunk people and out to the front of Lux. Chloe's car waits for them, idling in the street.

"Get in, Decker!" Maze calls as she slides into the driver's seat. "You're standing in public without pants you know."

Chloe's face heats. She tugs the hem of Lucifer's shirt down as much as she can as she slips into the passenger seat. She's barely closed the car door before Maze switches on the police siren and speeds down the street.

\--

"Alright," Maze says as she pulls up to the apartment complex. "You go in, get some pants, get yourself ready, clean up, just do what you have to do. I'm gonna go get you a coffee. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah," Chloe says softly, nodding. She gets out of the car, very hyper aware of the fact that she's only wearing a large shirt and underwear. She sprints up to her apartment, getting some strange looks on the way.

The first thing off about her apartment was that the door was unlocked. Chloe pushes it open slowly. Her jacket is hanging on the coat hooks by the door, her gun tucked away safely inside. He reaches into the pocket for it and holds it at the ready.

"Who's here?" she calls, trying to keep her voice steady. She whirls around to check her surroundings. "Come quietly with your hands up."

"Whoa!" Her heart almost skips a beat. It's only Dan. "Hey, put the gun down, Chlo. It's me. What...what are you doing here?"

That's how bad it's gotten. She's spent so much time out of her own house that it's no longer normal for her to come and go in her own house.

"I..." Chloe sighs, placing her gun on the counter. "Maze...is going to take me to work."

"Oh! Well, I can take you. I just have to drop Trixie at school."

As if on cue, their daughter skips out of her room. "Daddy, who are you talking to?" she asks. Dan just points at her mother. "Mommy!"

A real, genuine smile breaks across Chloe's face. She drops to her knees to be level height with Trixie as the little girl comes running towards her. They wrap their arms around each other tightly.

"I missed you, mommy," Trixie says quietly.

"Oh I missed you so much, monkey," Chloe breathes.

"Are you staying here now?" her daughter asks as they pull apart.

"Well, I'm going to go to work." She pushes a stray hair behind Trixie's ear. "And then I'll see how I feel and I'll decide what I want to do for the night."

"Can you drop me off at school today? Please?"

"Trix, you know Mommy's not feelings too well. She--" Dan starts.

"No, no, I can take you, honey. W-why don't you get your backpack and lunch ready while I go change." Trixie nods excitedly and runs into her room. Chloe turns to Dan.

"Hey, um...why don't you just go down to the station and I'll meet you there after I drop her? You've...you've been doing a lot lately, I'm happy to give you a little break," she says.

Dan nods slowly. "Yeah. Yeah okay. I'll see you there then." He walks towards her then leans in to kiss her forehead but Chloe places a hand on his chest before he can. She shakes her head.

"We can't do that anymore Dan," is the last thing she says to him before heading up to her own bedroom.

After a quick shower and her teeth freshly brushed, Chloe slips back into the button down, an oversized blazer and a pair of dark jeans with a belt. She undoes the top few buttons like Lucifer always does. Or did. Then she remembers something. The necklace. She took it off after he left only because every time she would touch or look at it, she would cry. It made Trixie worry more than she should, part of the reason why Chloe spends her nights at Lucifer's. She doesn't want her daughter to worry about her. The only thing she should worry about is who her next playdate will be with.

After rummaging through her jewelry box, she pulls it out. The bullet dangles on the chain in front of her. It takes all her strength to blink back tears and clip it around her neck. She swallows the knot in her throat as she heads back down to Trixie's room.

"Hey Decker," Maze says. She holds up Chloe's latte.

"Hey. Thank you." Chloe takes the drink from Maze's hand, clutching it close to her. "Um...I told Dan we'd take Trixie to school. I just..want to spend a little time with her. You know, in case..."

She doesn't need to finish. Maze is one of the only people who knows how much Chloe is going through.

"Yo, Trixie! Let's go, little human or you'll be late for school!" Maze calls.

"Coming!" The little girl bounces out of her room, her backpack straps clutched in her hands.

"Alright, Decker school drop off party plus Mazikeen!" Maze announces, plucking Trixie into her arms. "Let's move out!"

\--

"Bye monkey," Chloe says softly, placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Have a good day. I love you, I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Does soon mean later today?" Trixie asks longingly.

"I-I...I don't know, babe. If not, tell Daddy that I said you can have chocolate cake tonight," Chloe tells her. Trixie grins. "Go have fun."

Maze stands next to her as she watches her daughter. "You don't plan on seeing her later, do you?"

Chloe shakes her head. "I just...I'm already so drained and I've interacted with you, Dan, and my nine-year-old. I don't know if I can take it much longer."

They start climbing back in the car. "The penthouse doors are always open. As you know," Maze says, starting the engine. They're on the road to the precinct now, and all Chloe wants to do is sleep.

They arrive at the precinct much to quickly for Chloe's taste. She stares out the window at the doors. Maze lays a hand on her shoulder.

"You got this, Chloe. You can do it," she says reassuringly. "You're a badass."

"Thank you Maze. Really." Chloe faces her friend. "Okay. I'm...I'm going in." Maze turns off the car and presses the keys into Chloe's hand. "I'll...call you if I'm...drowning," she tells her, climbing out of the car. Maze gets out with her and starts heads to the other side of the street.

Chloe is nearing the doors when she hears Maze  
yelling. "Good luck girlfriend! I believe in you! You got this!" She shoots her a thumbs up, causing Chloe to crack a small smile as she shakily places her hand on the door handle.

She's immediately greeted by smiling faces. Greets and questions are thrown around. "Nice to see you, Chloe." "Welcome back Detective Decker!" "How was your time off?" Miserable. There was really no other way to describe it.

"Chloe!" A famliar female voice squeals excitedly from behind her. She turns in time to see Ella barrelling towards her. She collides into Chloe, almost knocking the wind out of her.

"Oh-" Chloe starts. She coughs, trying to inhale the air she lost. "H-hi Ella."

"How are you, girl? Well, obviously you're sad, you miss Lucifer but really how are you?" Ella looks her up and down, patting her arms.

"Y-yeah, I...I really miss him. A lot. But I-I'm okay," Chloe tells her honestly.

Ella smiles at her. "Well, if you need anything, if you need to talk, I'm always around."

Chloe puts her hand on Ella's shoulder. "Thank you."

"Chloe!" It's Dan again. She turns to face him as he holds up a folder. "We've got a case. If you're up for it, of course."

"Y-yeah I'm up for it. Mostly," she replies, taking the folder and flipping through it.

"Alright, let's head out."

\--

Chloe fiddles with the chain of her necklace, running her finger of the bullet, as she heads towards the front of Lux. Multiple times on the crime scene today she started to ask Lucifer for a different opinion on a theory she had come up with. Each time she looked over and he was nowhere to be seen. It got to the point where she had to go sit in her car and calm herself down. As she walks towards Lucifer's club, a knot forms in her throat. 

She walks to the front of the line into the club and tries to squeeze by the bouncer. He places his hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Ma'am, you have to wait in line, just like everyone else," he says.

"N-no, no I'm Chloe Decker. I'm always allowed in." Please just let me in.

"That's what all the other Chloe Decker's have said tonight. Mazikeen said not to let any of them in because she doesn't want them trying to sleep with her boss, so I doubt you'll be any better." He smirks at her.

"Funny. Absolutely hilarious." Acting absentmindedly, she places her hand on her hip, inconspicuously moving the hem of her blazer to flash her LAPD badge at him. His eyes widen. "See, I'm the only woman spending the night in Lucifer's bed and I could very easily shut this party down since I doubt you've got consent from my part--Lucifer to throw it in the first place."

"Goddamnit, Gerome. Just let her in." Maze pushes her way out of the packed club. "This is Chloe Decker, I showed you a picture of her this morning. This is her home. Deny her entrance again and I'll kill you. Let's go, Decker," she says, shooting the dirty look at the bouncer over she shoulder. "I've got drinks upstairs."

"Thank God."

\--

Fifteen minutes into the first bottom of vodka, Chloe is already so far gone. She tried to kiss Maze, who would've been totally down, until Maze reminded her to stay faithful to her boyfriend in Hell. Obviously those were the wrong choice of words.

Chloe now sits pantless on the couch, clutching the clear bottle, sobbing. She sputters something unintelligible then takes a fat swig from the bottle. Maze rubs her back, only showing a few tears. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, she misses her best friend more than anyone will never know.

"H-he's never coming back!" Chloe chokes. She tips the bottle back into her mouth, finishing it then flings it across the penthouse with another choked out sob. The bottle shatters on the floor, making even Maze, of all people, flinch.

"We don't know that, Chloe," Maze says softly. Chloe only lets out the loudest, most painful sounding cry. "Come on, let's get you into bed." She takes Chloe's hand and guides her unsteady friend into Lucifer's bed. 

Still hysterically crying, Chloe climbs under the duvet. She tries to wipe away her tears, tries to think of anything other than Lucifer. She's never had this much feeling for one person, not even Dan and she doesn't really know what do it with all of it. No matter how hard Linda tried to help her, Chloe always saw nothing changing and their sessions ended in crying or distress.

After a while, she finally calms down. Only hiccups and a splotchy red face remain. Maze leaves around that time as well, leaving a steaming mug of chamomile tea on the nightstand. Chloe sits up slowly and sips it continuously. Her eyelids are heavy by the time she finishes the drink. 

She's asleep before she even hits the pillows.

\--

It's dark. She can't tell what's going on but she can hear his screams. He's in more pain than she could ever imagine. All she wants to do is find him and pull him out of there and tell him everything is okay.

"Chloe!" he cries. "Please! Don't hurt her. I'll do anything." His voice is distance and filled with terror. He keeps calling her and each time is gets closer. 

All of the sudden, someone's hands wrap around her neck. Lucifer's pleas are ignored as the person tightens their grip and snaps her neck.

\--

Chloe wakes screaming, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. There's clattering from the bar area, but it's just Maze. Chloe pushes her messed up hair out of her face and plants her face in her hands, trying to catch her breath. The bed sinks down as Maze joins her on the bed.

"Maze, I'm alright," Chloe tells her, lifting her head up. "It was just another nightma--" Chloe gapes at the person sitting on the bed next to her. She's silent as he places his hand on her cheek. 

"Chloe," Lucifer murmurs.

She stares at him in disbelief but finally finds her words. "You're home," she whispers.

A real smile breaks across Lucifer's face. "I'm home, darling."

Tears stream down Chloe's face. "Are you real?"

"Of course I am." He pushes a strand of hair out of her face. 

Chloe cups his face gently. It's silent in the penthouse. Even the Los Angeles traffic decided to stop, at least for a little while. "How are you here?"

"I came back. For you. I couldn't watch you suffer any longer," he says softly. "It was..."

"Hell?"

Lucifer gives her a sad smile. "Yes."

They stare at each other for a while without saying anything. Chloe doesn't mind the silence. She moves closer to him and he pulls her onto his lap, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I missed you more than anything," he says into her neck.

Chloe positions herself to face him. He stares up at her longingly and she leans down, pressing her lips to his. 

“I love you,” he whispers onto her lips. 

“I love you,” Chloe repeats. “I love you, Lucifer. Only you and all of you. Even the parts you’ve yet to show me. I love all of you and I always will.”

“Chloe...”

“Don’t leave me again. Please.”

“I won’t. I promise,” Lucifer says, brushing a hair from Chloe’s face. “I wouldn’t do that to you again.”


	3. don’t you remember?

"_Listen, I'm so sorry about how I acted when I first saw your face. It was stupid and...please. Please don't go, I...I love you," she breathes. "I love you, please don't leave."_

_The faintest smile takes over Lucifer’s face. He lets out a small breath and comes closer to her. "We were wrong about another thing in the prophecy," he says. Chloe's tears spill onto her cheeks. "My first love was never Eve. It was you, Chloe.”_

Chloe.

"Chloe!" Her head shoots up from the file she was pouring over to see Dan standing in front of her desk. "You okay?"

She quickly wipes any noticeable tears from her face and nods. "Y-yeah. What's up?"

"We've got a new case. One shot. Around the corner from Lux. I'll meet you there," he says.

Chloe gathers up her things. A silly part of her thinks for a moment that maybe he'll be there. But he won't. He would come find her if he returned. He would never leave her to worry about him more than she already has.

—

When Chloe arrives on the scene, she sees that Lux's entire area is blocked off with caution tape. She flashes her badge and ducks under it.

"Hey Chloe!" someone calls. Swiveling her head around. she sees Ella waving her over.

"What do we have on the vic?" Chloe asks, as professionally sounding as she can. She can hardly focus as Ella tells her the details. All she wants to do is run up to the penthouse and crawl under his black duvet.

When Ella finishes, Chloe nods her thanks and heads over to the other cops. "Any witnesses?"

"Yeah, your old partner," one says. "He should be inside the club."

It was like a bag of bricks hit Chloe in the face. That can’t be right. "A-are you sure?"

The cop nods and Chloe sprints inside. At first, she doesn't see anyone. But then music starts coming from the piano. She recognizes the song immediately: Heart and Soul. Her heart skips a beat. She walks towards the piano, resisting the urge just engulf him in a hug.

"Ah, here to question me, I presume?" His voice startles Chloe.

"Lucifer?" she says softly.

"That's me," he answers, continuing to play the song.

"When...when did you come back?" Chloe breathes.

"Come back? How did you know I left?" Lucifer abruptly stops playing and looks up at her.

"W-what? Lucifer, stop playing games. Why didn't you tell me you were back? I was worried sick about you." Chloe moves closer to him. “Why didn’t you come find me?”

"I-I'm sorry, darling," Lucifer says, laughing softly. Chloe lets out a small sigh of relief, letting the smallest of smiles creep up on her face. Then he says, "Do I know you?"

Her stomach drops. No. It can't be. He's being an idiot. He's playing with you. "Lucifer. That's not funny."

"Darling, I'm not being funny in the slightest. I swear. I never lie," he says.

I know. And that's the worst part about this. "Lucifer, I-I don't understand. What are you doing—"

"Chloe, we've got something!" Ella calls from the door. "Oh my god, is that Luc--"

"Ella," Chloe stops her. "I'll deal with him."

Once she's gone, Lucifer speaks up again. "How does she know me?"

“You’re really being serious...” Chloe breathes.

“One hundred percent,” he says. “We never formally introduced ourselves. Lucifer Morningstar.”

I can’t believe this. “D-detective Chloe Decker, LAPD.” She shakes her head.

“Are you alright, detective?” he asks. The nickname pangs in her heart.

No, I’m obviously not alright. “We’re done here. You’re not a suspect,” she says, starting to walk away.

“But what if I did kill that poor girl?” Lucifer calls after her.

“You never lie.”

As she heads outside, he says, “You’re catching on, detective!” and she hears the smirk in his voice.

Ella bombards her the moment the door to the club closes. “Was that Lucifer? Where has he been? Is he—”

“Ella, please,” Chloe says, stopping in her tracks. “I really don’t want to talk about it. I’m taking myself off this case. I-I can’t do it. Please don’t talk to say anything to Lucifer. And don’t let anyone do interact with him either.”

Without another word, she leaves Ella standing on the sidewalk and climbs into her car. Tears spill down her face as she speeds away from the crime scene. The next thing she knows she’s knocking on Linda’s front door.

Maze opens it, a lollipop sticking out of her mouth. “Hey Decker,” she says casually, leaning on the door frame. “What’s—”

“He’s back,” Chloe whispers.

“Lucifer?” Maze asks in shock. Chloe nods, more tears spilling down her cheeks. Her friend ushers her inside and calls for Linda and Amenadiel.

She drops onto the couch with her head in her hands and lets it all go. Maze rubs her back as she sobs on and on until she has no more tears left to give.

“Chloe.” Linda sits on the cushion next to her. “Can you tell us what happened?”

She shakes her head, unable to speak, in fear of starting to cry again. Hiccups over take her body.

In a daze, someone brings her to a room. It’s dim and smells like flowers. Chloe realizes that it’s Lucifer’s brother so she doesn’t fight it when he helps her into a small cot. Crying as much as she has done today always makes her tired so she’s asleep within minutes.

—

Faint voices come from another room. It sounds like they’re arguing. Gingerly, Chloe pushes herself off the small mattress and follows the sounds. She passed a mirror on her way there. Her eyes are puffy and her face is splotchy and red. It stings when she blinks.

“Chlo...” The voices stop fighting. Maze comes over to her. She places a hand on her shoulder and guides her to the island.

Linda pushes a cup of tea in front of Chloe as she climbs into a stool, her eyes glazed over. “Do you think you want to talk about it now?”

“Linda...” Amenadiel starts.

“We have to know,” she says to him.

Chloe hesitates then nods slowly. Her voice is no higher than a whisper as she explains. “I was called to a scene on Lux’s block and they said they had a witness and...that he was my old partner. I really...didn’t believe them until I went inside. S-so I started talking to him and—” She chokes up at the memory, still fresh in her mind. “He had no idea who I was.”

The kitchen is silent. No one speaks for a while. Could it really be true? Could he really not remember any of them? Anyone from Earth?

“Even Ella came in and he asked me who she was. I-I couldn’t take it anymore so...I took myself off the case. I-it...It would’ve been too much for me to handle,” she finishes.

“So...what you’re saying is...” Maze says slowly. “He doesn’t remember anyone from Earth...” Chloe nods.

“But he can’t just forget his brother or his best friend,” Linda chimes in.

“Since I’m divine, while also being related to him and Maze is...well, Maze,” Amenadiel says. “It would have to take eons, possibly more for him to forgot us.”

“No offense but you’re not making any better for the one truly broken hearted by this,” Maze announces, jabbing her thumb at Chloe. “So...do we have a game plan?”

“You’re normally the one with the plans,” Linda points out.

“You’re one hundred percent right and that’s why I’ve already thought of one. So me and Amenadiel storm the penthouse and bombard Lucifer with questions with a knife to his throat and and behind his neck and then if he doesn’t give us the right answers we’ll slice—”

“Or...we could easily enter the penthouse through the elevator and talk to him calmly. Did you think of that?” Amenadial suggests.

Maze huffs. “Mine’s better but whatever.”

“L-let me come,” Chloe says, her voice catching. “I-I want to help.”

“No, Decker. You saw yourself after a five minute interaction with him this morning. I don’t want you to go through that again. You and Linda stay here, okay?” Her friend slips into her boots and pulls two knives from under the couch cushions. Linda gasps from behind Chloe, probably completely unaware of the danger lurking under her furniture.

“I swear I’m going to skewed in the ass with one of those some day soon,” she mutters.

—

Lucifer leans on the balcony, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He hums Heart and Soul, unsure of where he even got the idea to play that song in the first place.

The elevator behind him dings suddenly. He isn’t expecting any visitors. At least not until tonight, once the club is filled. He’s shocked when his brother and his demon best friend step out.

“Mazikeen! Amenadiel!” he says, opening his arms to welcome them. “I didn’t know you were in LA, otherwise I would’ve come visit you when I first got back.”

“Like you visited Chloe?” Maze hisses, pulling her hell-forged knives from her jeans. His brother has to hold her back so she can’t launch herself on him.

“Chloe...You mean the detective from this morning? Why would I visit her?” he asks innocently.

“Why would you visit—” His friend lets out a scream and thrashes against Amenadial’s grip. “You broke her heart! How could you do that to her! She loves you, Lucifer!”

“Maze, we walked about this,” his brother warns her, setting her on the floor once she’s calmer. “We’re going to take through this thoroughly.”

“Talk through what?” Lucifer sets his whiskey glass on the piano. “And what’s so special about this ‘Chloe’?”

“Brother...” Amenadiel says slowly. “Do you know the name Linda Martin? Or Trixie Decker? Dan Espinoza?”

The devil stares at them for a few moments. “No. Apologies.”

“What about Ella Lopez?”

“Oh, is that the short, dark-haired girl with the large camera at the crime scene today?”

Something sparks in Maze’s heart. “Yes! Yes, that’s her. You know her?”

“Why yes, I met her this morning. I tried to talk to her but she brushed me off after she seemed to know me before the detective told her off,” he explains.

Maze and Amenadiel exchange looks. “So, since you returned from Hell, you’ve been here?” his brother asks.

“Yes. Wait—who told you I went back to Hell?” Lucifer studies them closely. Why were they asking him all these pointless questions?

“Chloe did,” Amenadiel says softly. “She knows you’re the Devil, Luci. She...she loves you.”

He ponders Amenadiel’s words. “Is that...why I came back to half of my button down shirts gone from my closet and my normally neatly made bed all messed up?” Lucifer asks, leaning on the piano. “Or was that you, Mazikeen?”

His friend slams her fist down on the piano. “Lucifer, goddamnit, this is serious! You seem to remember everything from Earth except the humans you met here. What is up with that?”

“I would tell if you if I could.”

Amenadiel places a hand Maze’s shoulder. “Let’s go. We’ll talk to Linda, maybe there’s something that might jog his memory. Or even knock some sense back into him.”

“Nice seeing you two!” Lucifer calls cheerily as they step into the elevator.

—

The moment Linda’s front door opens, Chloe jumps out of her seat. “Anything?” Just a small something.

“Nothing,” Amenadiel says. “I’m sorry, Chloe.”

Her heart sinks. “You know, I...” she sighs. “Deep down, while he was gone, I knew something was going to be different when he came back. I just...I didn’t except it to...to hurt. So much...” She blinks back tears.

Linda rubs her back as she sinks back onto the couch. A tear slips out from the corner of her eye. How could this have happened to her, of all people? She has done everything right.

Hasn’t she?

—

The woman gasps, flipping herself off Lucifer. She pants heavily as she curls her body next to his. He really doesn’t pay much attention to her. His mind is too focused on the conversation he had with Amenadiel and Maze earlier. Especially the parts about this...Chloe.

How could he, the Devil, have trusted a human enough to be able to tell her all his secrets? If she had really loved him, had he loved her back?

He won’t deny that he remembers his time in Los Angeles from before he went to hell. But as the day has gone on, and he’s thought more about Chloe, he’s been realizing there are months worth of spotty memories returning to him. There are days worth of memories missing at times and conversations that seem like he’s talking to himself. Conversations that are missing a certain person.

His eyelids grow heavy with exhaustion as he lays in his bed with this unknown woman and he drifts into sleep.

—

Lucifer wakes with a start. He sits upright in bed, trying to make sense of what just went on in his mind. It felt his entire life flashed before his eyes. Memories flying back and forth, this way and that, all blurring together yet somehow making sense.

“Chloe,” he whispers. Without a second thought he flips the duvet off, not caring about the woman in his bed as she groans and shuffles under the blanket.

He throws on his white button and slips back into his black slack pants. Tying his tie around his neck, he runs towards the elevator.The next thing he knows, he’s speeding down the street.

When Lucifer arrives at her house, there’s another car outside. It doesn’t matter to him. The only thing he cares about it seeing her.

—

“Yeah. It’s like...amnesia or something. I really have no idea what happened to him.” Chloe sighs, swirling her glass of wine. “I’m sorry I kept you in the dark for a little while. I just...wasn’t in the right state of mind.”

“Don’t even worry, Decker. I get it, breakups suck,” Ella replies. Chloe opens her mouth to explain how it’s not actually a breakup but Ella holds up a finger. “I know, I know. But in a way, it could be considered one. I don’t really know how many people recover from amnesia and if they do, I think it takes a long time. So...”

Chloe nods slowly, looking down at her lap. “I just...it hurts, El. I want to help him but...I can’t.”

Ella leans forward, putting a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You’re one of the toughest people I know, Chloe. If there’s anyone who can get through this, it’s you. Besides, you made it through almost a year without him. I believe in you.” Her phone buzzes on the coffee table. “Oh, it’s my brother. I’m sorry, I’ve gotta go. He could be in trouble or something. Emphasis on something.”

“No, no, that’s totally fine,” Chloe says, standing as Ella does. “Thank you letting me vent. I just needed another outlet. This really helped.”

“I’m glad.” Ella gives her a signature hug before hurrying out the door.

Chloe watches as she leaves, sighing heavily. She downs the rest of her glass of wine, then decides to chug the rest of the bottle on her own. Halfway through, a knock arrives on her door.

“I’m completely sober,” Chloe murmurs to herself as she pass towards the door, wine bottle in hand. “Ella, did you forget someth—”

It’s not Ella she sees when she opens the door. It’s Lucifer.

“Chloe,” he says softly.

Her face hardens. “Can I help you?” she says coldly.

“Chloe, it’s me. It’s Lucifer.” He tries to come inside but she places a hand on his chest.

“You’re not the Lucifer I remember,” she replies, promptly pushing him out the door. Once it’s shut, he leans back against it, sighing heavily. She starts to take another swig from the wine bottle when there’s another knock on the door.

“Go away,” she groans.

“Don’t you remember...when you told me that you were afraid I would forget you?” Lucifer’s voice travels through the door.

What? How does he... “Who told you that?” Chloe asks, suspiciously.

“You did, my love. Before I left,” he says softly. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I really am. I never meant to hurt you like this.”

Chloe sets the bottle of wine on her counter and hesitantly opens the door. Lucifer stands there, on the verge of tears. Her vision starts to blur as well. “You remember. B-but...but how? Amenadiel said—”

“Who cares what my brother said?” He cups her cheek with his hand, slowly pulling her closer. “I do remember.”

Chloe looks up at him, tears spilling down her face. “Don’t you ever leave me again,” she chokes. “I’ll kill you, Lucifer. I mean it.”

He laughs, a real, wholehearted one. It makes her smile, however cracked it may be.

“This is my home, detective. You are my home. I’m not going anywhere, Not for a long, long time.”


	4. sick days

There's a hard pounding on Chloe's apartment door. She would groan but she doesn't have any energy to even lift a finger. 

"Trixie," she says, almost a whisper. 

"Mommy?" Her daughter looks up from her math homework that she's doing on the coffee table. 

"Can you get the door?" Trixie nods, jogging over. 

"Ah, offspring. Good to see you. Is your mother home?" If Chloe could spring off the couch to see Lucifer, she would. But she can't so she doesn't. 

"Yeah but she's not feeling well," Trixie explains.

"What?" She can immediately hear the worry in his voice. 

"Let him in, monkey," Chloe says in a raspy voice, once again hardly above a whisper. 

Before Trixie hardly has a chance to move out of the way, Lucifer barges into the apartment. "Detective?" He looks wildly around until he sees her. 

She's laying under a fleece blanket, her knees curled up to her chest, shivering. As he moves closer, he sees her hair is matted to her head with sweat. Rushing over to her, he crouches next to the couch. 

"Chloe," he murmurs.

Her eyes open, slowly and not even all the way. She huffs out what sounds like a laugh. "Hi," she whispers. 

Lucifer pushes a wet strand of hair out of her hair. "Hello there. What's going on?" he asks tenderly.

"It's just the flu." Chloe's eyes flutter shut and open half way once more. 

"You've been out of work for four days, Detective. I was worried when you didn't call or text," he says.

"I was focused on more important things. Like...sleeping. Lots..." She closes her eyes for almost a minute, probably falling asleep, then looks at Lucifer again. "Of sleeping." The faintest of smiles creeps up on her lips. 

He places the back of his hand on Chloe's forehead. "You're burning up, darling. Why don't I bring you upstairs, to your own bed, where you'll be more comfortable?"

"B-but I have to watch Trixie," Chloe whispers.

"I'm sure the offspring can handle herself for a little while. Besides, someone has to watch over you. Now let me take you up," Lucifer insists. He scoops over up from the couch, blanket and all, as if she's light as a feather.

By the time he's up the stairs, Chloe is fast asleep. Lucifer laughs softly as he lays her on the bed. A shiver runs through her body even though her forehead drips with sweat. There's a pang in his heart. He hates seeing her like this, in pain. If he could take it all away, he would. 

Instead, he takes off his blazer, dropping it on the floor. He then unbuttons his shirt and climbs into bed next to Chloe. In Lucifer's process of getting partially undressed, she had discarded her sweat covered blanket in her sleep. He sees that that her white t-shirt is also soaked in sweat but he decides to leave it on. Making a mental note, he reminds himself to help her take a shower and put something in her stomach when she wakes up.

With that, he wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her back to his chest. He rests his chin on her shoulder, placing a kiss there. Before he knows it, his eyelids grow heavy and he falls asleep next to her.

—

The room is dark when Chloe wakes up. The smallest bit of light filters in from a crack in the wall. A crack in the wall? She tries to sit up but her muscles fail her. No, not her muscles. Someone else's muscles. 

"Lucifer," she murmurs. The both of them are wrapped in a pair of angel wings. 

"Did I wake you?" he asks, startling her. She didn't realize she was awake.

She turns over on the only speed mode her body has: slowly. Every movement she makes causes her joined and muscles to shoot little needles of pain all over her body. She winces, settling back into his arms.

"Did I hurt you?" He stares at her intently. 

"No, n—" Chloe begins coughing, each one tearing up her throat. "No...I'm okay," she whispers. Lucifer relaxes a little. 

She traces the edge of one of Lucifer's feathers with her finger. "Beautiful," she says, still somewhat delirious.

"You think so?" he asks softly.

"Yeah..." She looks up at him. "Lucifer...you're going to get yourself sick. I think you should go."

He looks at her as if she just told him she was moving to Mars. "I'm staying right by your side until you're better." Chloe starts to protest but he places a finger on her mouth. "No arguing, Detective." She smiles against his finger and takes it in her hand, kissing it. 

Lucifer sits up slowly, shrugging his wings away. Chloe pouts and scrunches her nose, wanting to be safely wrapped in them until she feels better. He smiles. "Can you get up? Do you want to take a shower or...?"

Chloe struggles to sit up, her muscles failing her in every way. Lucifer hops off the bed and circles to her side, helping her rest her back on the headboard. "M-my shirt," she rasps. 

He nods as she gingerly lifts her arms above her head. He tugs it off slowly, careful not to hurt her. Chloe isn't wearing a bra so she instinctively covers her chest with her arms. Lucifer has never seen her like this, so fragile, as if she would break into a million pieces if he so much as bumped into her the wrong way. Her face was much paler than usual and her thin, delicate wrists looked even more so.

"I'm going to start you a bath and I'll help you wash up if you need it, Chloe," he says, patting her head softly.

Her eyes flutter shut as she nods. By the time the water warms up and the tub is filled to a reasonable amount, Chloe is deep in sleep once more.

Lucifer sighs, a smile playing at his lips. Her head lolls to the right, her mouth slightly open. He slides her carefully of the headboard and under her duvet, than plants a kiss on her forehead.

Trixie is waiting the doorframe as Lucifer turns to head downstairs. "Hi Lucifer."

"Ah, hello darling. What are you doing up here?"

"Is Mommy okay?" 

Lucifer places his hand on Trixie's shoulder and guides her to the kitchen. "She will be. She just needs sleep. You and I both know how strong your mother is."

Chloe's daughter smiles up at him. "Thanks for taking care of her."

"It's no problem at all, child. I...I would do anything for her,” he says to her. 

Trixie smiles. “I know.”

—

This time, Chloe wakes alone. Her eyelids feel like one hundred pound weights and her throat feels like someone threw paper down it and lit it on fire. Her stomach still hurt enough for it to be difficult to move but she rolls herself slowly out of bed nonetheless. 

Faint voices and laughing come from downstairs. It makes Chloe smile, knowing that Lucifer cares for Trixie almost, maybe as much, as Trixie cares for him.

Realizing she's topless, she wraps a blanket around herself and begins the trudge to the living room. She stops on the landing when she sees not Lucifer but Maze chasing her daughter around the coffee table. Trixie shrieks with laughter as the demon catches up to her and scoops her up. 

"Maze," Chloe croaks.

"Mommy!" Trixie giggles.

"Hey Decker!" Maze places the little girl on the floor who rushes towards her mom. Trixie hugs her legs tightly. Chloe places a hand on Trixie's back but looks around the bottom floor of the apartment. When she doesn't see who she's looking for, tears are to well in her eyes. 

"Where's Lucifer?" she asks quietly.

"Oh. Um, he left a little while ago," Maze tells her. The hurt must show on Chloe's face. He left? "Trix, let me talk to your mom for a minute.”

Trixie lets go of Chloe’s legs and heads into her room. Maze walks up towards Chloe and rubs her shoulder. “How are you doing? Lucifer told me you were in pretty bad shape...” Chloe hardly hears her. All she wants is to be near him. 

As if on cue, the side door opens. Lucifer strides into the kitchen with two paper bags of food. He doesn’t notice her or Maze standing on the stairs. 

Not caring that Maze is around, Chloe drops the blanket from her shoulders. Her friend stands there in shock as she pushes past her. 

“Ah Detective!” Lucifer moves away from the breakfast bar. “I went out to—”

Chloe moves her body as fast as it allows her to and before her legs give out, she presses herself into his chest. He hesitates to hug her, a bit surprised, but soon she feels his arms pulling her closer. Her legs start to slip out from underneath her so Lucifer picks her off the floor and sets her on the counter.

“I’ll take Trixie to the park,” Maze says to them. Lucifer nods but Chloe just stares at him in a daze. “Come on, little human! Let’s go!” The little girl darts out of the bedroom with a backpack and a big grin on her face. 

Once they’re gone, Lucifer taps the side of Chloe’s face lovingly. “What’s going on, darling?”

The glaze that formed over her eyes disappears. She places a tender hand on his chest. “You,” she breathes. 

“Me?” Lucifer asks, taking her hand and kissing the palm. 

“Yeah,” Chloe whispers. “I...I love you.” She wraps her arms and legs around him, pressing the side of her face to his chest. 

“I love you too,” he replies without hesitation. He rests his forehead on her own. It’s still hotter than normal. “I bought some soup for you. Do you think you can eat it?” Chloe nods against him. 

“Alright.” He detaches himself from her hug and slowly lifts her off the counter. She trudges slowly over to a chair in front of the breakfast bar with his help. 

As Lucifer begins warming up the soup for her, he has to constantly keep tapping her shoulder so she stays awake. Each time she would pick her head up and gaze around the room groggily before choosing a spot on the wall to stare at before she dozed off again. 

“Chloe,” he whispers, tapping her once more. She removes her forehead from the countertop and stares at the bowl of soup being pushed in front of her. “Please don’t fall asleep in it.” She manages a small smile as she spoons a bite into her mouth. 

After only eating a few saltines and cheerios and a few glasses of water over the past few days, the soup feels like heaven. Chloe almost lets out a groan at how good it taste. Once she finishes, she feels more tired than she did before she started eating, which she didn’t think was possible. 

Lucifer helps her over to the couch, laying a blanket over her once she’s situated. “How are you feeling now?” he asks, tucking a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear. 

“The same,” she whispers. “Are...are you sure you don’t want to go home? I don’t want to...get you sick too.”

He laughs softly. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. It’s you I want to focus on today and all days, Detective.”

—

Two Weeks Later

“Lucifer?” Chloe calls, stepping out of the elevator. “Are you here? A new case just dropped and I could really use your help with it.”

She greeted with silence. Something pangs in her heart as she thinks of him leaving again. But no, there aren’t any white sheets covering the furniture so she breathes easier. 

A sudden groan comes from the bedroom. “Lucifer?” she calls again. Another groan. As she heads up the couple stairs to his bed, she spots a large lump hidden under the black duvet. “Hey, Lucifer.”

Chloe can tell he’s struggling to push himself into a sitting position. She grabs what she thinks are his shoulders and pulls him up. He sighs, wiping a layer of sweat off his forehead. Chloe settles onto the side of the bed, smiling. 

“What’s so funny, Detective?” Lucifer mutters, breathing heavily. 

“Nothing,” she says, smiling wider. “Just the fact that you insisted on keeping me company while claiming that ‘the Devil doesn’t get sick’.”

“Well, your—” He starts coughing. Chloe moves towards him, amusing but still worried for his condition. She was out of work for almost a week and a half. If she got Lucifer of all people sick, who knows how long he’ll be out? Nevertheless, she tells herself she’ll care for him the way he did her.

Once he stops coughing, he starts again. “Your stomach virus may have outsmarted the system.” He gives her a weak smile. 

She crawls over to him and pushes his hair away from his face. “It seems like it has,” she says softly. 

“Are you going to leave to work that case, love? Or are you going to risk contaminating yourself again?”

Gently, Chloe kisses his hot forehead. “I think I’ll take the risk.”


	5. voicemails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kinda ib my friend but instead of lucifer sending voicemails it’s chloe

It's another sleepless Tuesday night in the Decker household. For Chloe, at least. And then again, every night has been a sleepless one. Since he left.

She leans against the doorframe of her daughter's bedroom. Trixie sleeps peacefully, her favorite stuffed alien cradled in her grip. Chloe sighs, returning to the couch. She sinks into the cushions, rubbing her face with her hands.

Lucifer left a month ago. Between the worrying and the crying she finally let herself do after Trixie was asleep, she's barely gotten a full night sleep since then. Yes, she's gone to work, solved cases and done whatever she had to do but that's all she's been doing. It's like she's floating outside her own body, watching herself emotionlessly preform the tasks required of her each day.

Her phone lights up on the coffee table. Selfishly, Chloe hopes it's not work. She really doesn't have the energy to do anything important.

It's Ella. Although the text is case-related, it can wait until morning. Thank God, Chloe thinks, leaning her head on the back of the couch. She starts flipping through things on her phone and stumbles across her texts with Lucifer. There aren't a whole lot, because they would normally call or talk to each other in person.

Lately whenever she's lonely, Chloe calls him. She never expects him to answer. She really only does it to hear his voicemail box. It's one of the things keeping her from going insane from sadness.

Without thinking, she presses the call button next to his name. It rings for what feels like an eternity until the line clicks.

"Hello?" It's quiet for a moment. It's always like this. The first time she thought he actually answered. "Oh, just joking! You've reached Lucifer Morningstar's phone. That's right, the Devil. I am him. If you've misdialed, that's a shame. I'm quite fun to be around. If you've called on purpose, I'm either in trouble or you're Detective Chloe Decker. Or both." That part always makes her smile. "Leave a message if you'd like and I may just get back to you."

The message box beeps and Chloe takes a breath. Hearing his voice, even just hearing the same words every night, calms her nerves, if only a little.

"Hey, Lucifer...It's me, again. Voicemail one thousand and two," she says, breathing out a laugh. "I...just thought I'd call and update you on...just stuff going on around here. Um, well, we found a second body, matching t-the last killer's MO that I told you about...uh, yesterday. Not much more than that but Ella is running evidence tonight, so..." She sniffles, tears welling in her eyes. Tell him about you, dumbass. "Trixie is doing well. She's, uh, making more friends and is starting dance classes soon. She really—" Chloe stops so she can swallow the knot in her throat.

"_I_ really miss you. I can't tell you how many times a day I start to look over at you, waiting for an inappropriate joke or a smartass comment or for you to complain about how boring the case is. Yeah"—she lets out another soft laugh—"you frustrate me beyond measures sometimes but that's how it's always been between us and I would never ever trade it for anything." She lets out a choked sound, letting herself start to cry. "I feel like I've been walking around in a shell of my own body without you here and i-it's so awful. It's so awful, Lucifer. B-because I'm miserable a-all the time and I can't think of a single way to pull myself out of this." Chloe is hysterical now, hiccuping as she tries to suck in deep breathes.

"I poured myself into work, I took time off, I went out with Ella and Maze and Linda...Okay, I won't lie, the girls night...it was a lot of fun. It felt like exactly what I needed. For that moment. B-but now? Now, Lucifer...I need you. I need you more than anyone else right now. You and only you. I've gone on this long without you by my side but I really don't know how much longer I can do it for.

"I know that things down there are probably going to...Well, to Hell. And if you were to leave, for me, it would only get worse. Call me a bad person, call me selfish for saying this but please come home. I'm allowed to be selfish right now. I'm hurting and I...please, just...come back. All consequences be damned, Lucifer. I don't care how many demons I have to fight off for you to stay here with me. But I'd do it. For the rest of my days, whether I have one left or one million." Chloe takes a shaky breath, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I love you, Lucifer. Just...please come home soon. You're my partner. You...you're my_ best friend_. And I need you by my side. Always.“


	6. movie night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chloe and lucifer watch a horror movie together :’)

A knock on the apartment door pulled Chloe out of her thoughts. The popcorn in the microwave continues popping as she pads over to open the door.

"Good evening, Detective." Lucifer holds up a bag of burgers and fries. Chloe can hardly contain her smile as she takes it from him.

"No ketchup?" she asks, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"Of course not," he says softly against her lips. "Such a foolish condiment."

She giggles quietly, pulling him into a hug. "I missed you."

"You saw me at work," he reminds her. "Four hours ago."

"I know." Chloe rests her chin on his chest, squeezing him tighter. "Come, let's go inside."

Lucifer gladly follows her inside, his hand clasped in hers. The microwave beeps from the kitchen.

"Oh, that's the popcorn," she says. "I'll go grab it." She does a little dance over to the microwave. He watches as her cheeks flush ever so slightly.

"Chloe Decker," he muses, leaning on the edge of the couch. She turns to him, her ponytail swinging behind her. "You're in love."

She presses her lips together, trying and failing to suppress a big goofy smile. "With who, I wonder..." she replies.

Lucifer strides over to her. He takes her by the waist and tucks her into his side as she pulls out the steaming bag of popcorn.

"So, did you have a movie in mind for tonight?" Chloe asks. They make their way to the couch, Lucifer grabbing the bag of burgers and fries as they pass it.

"Maybe something in the horror realm?" he suggests. "Maze and I normally do horror marathons but she's been out hunting bounties for the last few weeks and I'm a bit deprived."

"_Noooo_," Chloe whines. "I _hate_ horror movies. Trixie practically begged me to go see that It movie."

"Ah, then maybe we should go wake her and have her watch with us," he says grinning as he slowly inches towards her daughter's room.

"No!" she repeats. "First of all, she just fell asleep thirty minutes ago after continuously asking me to push her bedtime to 10:30. You'll be happy to know I did not give in. And second of all, I'm not watching a horror movie with you, Lucifer. I covered my eyes and ears during the entirety of It. The clown eats _children_."

Lucifer holds back a laugh. "Come on, darling. How about a not-so-scary one?"

"How are there 'not-so-scary' horror movies? That's an oxymoron," she states, crossing her arms.

"Well, The Quiet Place for example. Why don't you just try? And if you don't like it, we'll watch a romance. But give it a shot, love. For me? Hm?"

Chloe hates that her heart melts just enough for her to give in. By the time they're twenty minutes into the movie, Chloe is already hugging Lucifer's waist for dear life as if she were going to be pulled into the scene. Each time she goes to let go, another jump scare sends her right back to him. He doesn't mind a bit, laughing each time she holds onto him tighter.

"Lucifer, this isn't funny!" she cries, slapping his chest.

"Chloe, for someone who sees dead bodies on a daily basis, you're a bit of a wuss," he says, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"B-but those characters—they're in danger! They're literally going to die, Lucifer! I'm scared for _them_, not myself," she claims.

"I think your own actions say differently." He smirks at her. She huffs but can't hold back her own smile.

"Just...watch the movie with me, you ass."

—

By the time the credits start rolling, both Chloe and Lucifer are passed out on the couch.

The door to Trixie room slides open slowly. "Mommy?" the little girl calls. She spots Lucifer head leaning to the side. "Mom?"

When no one stirs, she crosses to the front of the couch. Lucifer is stretched out, legs placed on the designated foot rest. Her mother is curled under a blanket, her head resting on Lucifer's chest. His arm wraps around her entire body, as if making sure she's tucked in close to him.

Trixie smiles. I want that when I'm older, she thinks to herself as she grabs another blanket. She lays it gently over Lucifer to keep him warm. "Sleep well, lovebird," she murmurs.


	7. shaky hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> suicide mentions so pls read at ur own risk <3

TW: suicide mentions

Someone calls her name from afar. Maybe she's just imagining it. That's what her disjointed thoughts tell her until someone lays a hand on her shoulder.

Chloe flinches away violently from the human contact. She looks up to see Lucifer sitting next to her, worry coating his face.

"Are you alright?" he asks her gently.

"I-I'm fine," she says, barely above a whisper.

"Miss Lopez called me before you arrived. She said you might need to talk. Do you want to talk now?" She shakes her head. "Okay," he replies, standing. "I'll get you some water. If or when you're ready to talk to me, I'll be here." Chloe makes no notion that she heard a single word he just said so he heads over to the bar and pulls down a glass.

Just as he's about to pour her water, she blurts, "He killed himself."

Lucifer puts the pitcher down. "Who?" He crosses the room and slowly sits down next to her.

Chloe takes a shaky breath before answering. She doesn't look at him. "T-the killer. His MO was...he forced a gun into the victim's mouths and—" She looks up, blinking away tears. Some of them slip down her cheeks. Lucifer inches closer to her, in case she needs to let it all go.

"You don't have to tell me, you know," he says gently.

"N-no, I need to." A steady stream of tears runs down her face as she continues. "He would force a gun into the victim's mouth and...shoot them. A-and he would...make it look like a suicide. He almost got off clean until Ella found a strand of hair."

She turns toward him, finally looking him in the eye. Her face is splotchy and her eyes are red-rimmed and puffy. Lucifer slowly moves towards her, just enough to see her hands shaking in her lap.

"W-when we found him, he...he knew what he was doing was wrong," she chokes out. "And he felt so guilty. I tried to tell him that it didn't have to end this way. That he could come with us and find a way to...to start over. But he couldn't take it anymore."

Lucifer takes her shaking hands in his. Chloe looks down at her lap, her body overcome with sobs. "A-and the worst part is"—she sucks in a breath—"is that...h-he killed himself the same way he did...with this victims." She finally releases everything she was holding back. Lucifer instantly tugs her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her so she can cry into his chest.

Chloe cries for a long time. For a while after she runs out of tears, she stays in Lucifer's embrace, hiccuping. Eventually her eyelids start to grow heavy so she lets herself fall into sleep.

Until she closes her eyes and sees his face. The regret on his face and the tears in his eyes. And the blood splatter on the wall behind him. And the ceiling. And her own clothes. She can still taste the tang of his blood on her tongue.

"No!" she cries, jumping from Lucifer's lap.

"What is it, darling?" he asks, standing with her.

Her whole body shakes. "No, no. Nonononononono." She pulls off her blazer, discarding it on the floor. Her fingers fumble with the buttons on her shirt as she undoes it, letting it fall on top of her jacket.

Lucifer spots the drops of blood on the light blue shirt as he crosses the room. "Chloe," he whispers. "Come to me. Please."

"N-no, Lucifer. I-I can't. I can't close my eyes without seeing...seeing _him_ a-and I—" Tears she didn't know she still had start building up in her eyes. Just as she starts to crumble again, arms wrap around her, pulling her close. She tries to calm herself down by leaning against him, listening to his steady heartbeat, breathing in his obnoxiously expensive cologne that always seems to put her at ease.

"If I stay with you until you fall asleep, will that make it better?" he suggests.

"I-I can't, Lucifer," she rasps.

"But we can try."

She sniffles loudly. "How do you know it'll work?"

"I don't darling," he replies. "But the only thing we can do is try. And then, once you're over that hump, you're on the road to being okay again. We'll try every night. Every single night until it stops. How does that sound?"

It was incredibly temping. But she couldn't let him take the burden on his shoulders.

As if he read her mind, he says, "It's not like I can step right into your brain and take the memory away. I can't magically take the weight of such a thing off your shoulders. Trust me, right now I wish, more than anything, that I could. But if you want me to be, I'll be right by your side every time you wake up in the middle of the night."

Chloe rests her chin on his chest and looks up at him. She nods slowly. "Thank you.”

Starting that night, Lucifer never lets up on his promise. From the moment Chloe closes her eyes to the moment she wakes up from the nightmare, he’s there. He’s always by her side, whether to let her cry on his shoulder, cup her shaking hands in his steady ones, or just to hold her until she falls asleep again. Every night, without fail, no matter what went on that day for either of them, he’s always there.


End file.
